Written by: Mark Waid
Art by: Ronilson Freire
Publisher: Dynamite, Inc.
Earlier this summer, Mark Waid set out to bring back one of his favorite characters in Richard Henry Benson, aka the Avenger. This character first debuted way back in 1939 and enjoyed spots of popularity, but the hero had been lying dormant since 1975.Thankfully, Waid brought this franchise back to life with the excellent first issue of Justice, Inc: The Avenger. The series continued with a tragic second issue and set the stage for Waid’s third foray into the Benson’s life. Did issue #3 keep up the intensity of this excellent series?
Justice, Inc: The Avenger #3 continues Richard Henry Benson’s quest to fight bad guys around the world. Unlike other heroes, however, Benson deals with some of the crazier enemies. Case in point, issue #3 starts with a fight against psychopathic, invisible lions. These lions were overly strong and destroyed most of Benson’s prized car. Winning this fight required the use of makeup, knives, guns, and electricity. Invisible lions aren’t the most normal sight in the world, so Benson set out to find their creator.
This mission took Benson and his team to a hidden laboratory in a nondescript part of town. This is where events started to get strange. Benson’s team discovered hidden brick walls and many other interesting items during their mission, leading to some intense confrontations.There was even a massive brawl that became a focal point of the issue.
Justice, Inc.: The Avenger has been an entertaining series so far, and the third issue is the best example. The opening sequence with the lions starts the issue off very strongly, but that was just the beginning. One member of Benson’s team, Josh, got some much-needed time in the limelight as he employed a more humorous method of spying in order to get information. Actually, this whole issue featured more of Benson’s team, and it was fantastic. Each member brings uniqueness to the team, and it was nice being able to see each of them in action. The story of Smitty and Nellie, in particular, was a bright spot.
Mark Waid wanted to create a unique take on the 30’s comic hero, and he definitely succeeded. Each issue of Justice, Inc. is quite unique, and the weird science is just an added bonus. This series is definitely one you should read.
